Business support and advice

Inspire Dorset

Coaching towards employment or self-employment, setting up a business or enterprise and training
Dorset Growth Hub

Advice on start-up, growth, finance, marketing, digital capabilities and employment, as well as free courses on running a business
Dorset Trading Standards

Dedicated business advice line for free, impartial information
Mentoring for small businesses

Dorset Business Mentoring (DORMEN) offers a mentoring service for small developing businesses
Business Growth Dorset

Support for Dorset businesses to help source solutions for growth and development
Primary Authority Partnerships

Enabling businesses to form a legal partnership with a local authority which makes it easier to comply with Trading Standards, Environmental Health and Fire Safety legislation.
Martyn's Law (Protect Duty)

Information for Dorset businesses on the impact of Martyn's Law that is expected to come into legislation soon.
Federation of Small Businesses - South West

Federation of Small Businesses - South West

Funding

Business Loans for the South West

Access to finance through dedicated business loan funds in the South West
UK Shared Prosperity Fund

We have been allocated just over £6 million of funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund
Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF)

A total of £2.1 million of capital money has been awarded to us from the Rural England Prosperity Fund
Multiply initiative

Within our allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Funds (UKSPF), £1.1million supports and delivers skills provision under the “Multiply” initiative

Digital organisations

Silicon South is dedicated to accelerating the digital economy in Dorset
Food and farming

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) provide information on sector regulations, funding and general support and advice
Engineering and manufacturing

The Dorset Engineering and Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) is a community for the sector, creating opportunities to collaborate, create and innovate
Tourism

Visit Dorset is a Destination Management Organisation offering business support as well as an online marketplace for tourism businesses

The Department for Business and Trade

Expert trade advice and practical support to UK-based companies who want to grow their business overseas
Business West

Bespoke, friendly advice from the International Trade team at Department for International Trade (DIT) South West
Dorset Chamber of Commerce

Advice on export readiness, finance, getting goods to market, international market access and overseas marketing